Suspension device for trolley-wires.



No. 650,8l4. v Patented May 29, I900.

J. W..SCULLY. SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR TROLLEY WIRES.

(Application'flled Feb. 5, 1900.! I

(No Model.)

wwnewea- Wr/FMM his O orneys'.

. wires or conductors for electric railways or the UNITED STATES PAT NT Fries.

JAMES \V. SCULLY,

F HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS.

SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR TROLLEY-WIRES.

SPEGIFIGATiON forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,814, dated May 29, 1900.

Application filedFehrnary 5,1900. semi no. 3,922. "No model.)

To all it'll/07)], may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES \V. SCULLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hyde Park, in the county of Norfolk, State of Massa c'husetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Suspension Devices for Trolley-\Vires, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved suspension device for trolleylike.

- defined in the claims at the close of this specification.

In the drawings,"Figure l is a side elevation of a suspension device embodying my invention, a small portion of the upper member thereof being broken away to show the shoulder which is formed on the lower member. Fig. 2 is a section on theline 2 2 of Fig. 1.

In suspending a trolley-wire orconductor it-is usual to employ what is termed an ear, the upper portion of which ordinarily is provided with a threaded socket, by means of which the ear is secured to a suitable supporting device. The lower edge of the ear is grooved to inclose 'or partially inelose the trolley-wire, and theintermediate portion or body of the ear is usually a relatively-thin Web of metal. Thelips which form the sides of the groove at the lower edge of the ear are thin, so that when the trolley-wire is placed in the groove these lips may be bent in over the wire, so as to embrace it and hold it firmly in place. The passage of the trolley along the wire wears away the edges of the lips which hold the wire in'place and serve to secure it to the ear, and when they are worn away the ear requires to be removed and replaced. Ears that are thus discarded after use because of the wearing away of the lips which embrace the trolley-wire are otherwise as good as 'new,the other portions thereof not being subjected to wear. To replace the ears that are thus worn is a source of considerable expense. By the employment of my invention hereinafter set forth a considerable savingis effected, since substantially only that portion of the ear-which is in contact with the trolley-wire and which is subjected to wear by the trolley requires to be replaced, the

other portions of the ear which are notsubjected to wear being retained, thus economizing in the cost of material, in the'time .required to make the repairs, and at the same time facilitating the work of repair by lessening the weight and bulk of the parts which .require to be replaced.

My invention is simple and will be readily understood from the following description.

Referring to the drawings, the top or upper member of the ear is shown at A, the threaded socket by means of which the ear. is secured to its support being shown at B. The web or body of the said top or .upper member of the ear, is shown at O. The lower edge of the web or body 0 is provided lengthwise with a groove D of the shape shown inFig. 2, the

intermediate portion of the groove between the bottom and the mouth thereof being cont'racted, as shown at 2. The said groove, in other words, has an inwardly-expanded portion. That portion of the ear which is secured directly to the trolley-wire is shown at E, and consists of a grooved strip that is provided lengthwise thereof with a web 3, which web may extend throughout the whole or a portion of the length of the part E. The said web 3 is formed of a shape in cross-section to fit the groove D in the flange O, as shown, Fig. 2, thus permitting the said web 3 to he slid endwise into the groove D, as will be clear. As will be perceived, the grooved strip extends lengthwise of the body portion. The shape of the groove D and web 3, respectively, is such as to form a longitudinal interlocking joint between the two members of the ear or supporting device, as will be apparent. On the web 3 a shoulder 4 is formed, the said shoulder being at one end thereof. The web 3 is slid into the groove D until the shoulder tbears against the end of the web '0. This prevents further relative movement of the parts in one direction. A hole 5 is shown formed. transversely through the web 3 at the other end of the groove D, and a cotter-pin 6 is inserted in the said hole. This forms a relative movement in the other direction, and

consequently the partsare held from becoming separated. In brief, the parts C and E are vprevented from movement relatively to.

each other and from becoming displaced by 5 said shoulder 4 at one end and the cotter-pin 6 at the other end. When the part E which incloses and secures the trolley-wire is worn to such an extent as to require its replacement, it is necessary only toremovethe cotro tor-pin 6, slide the upper portion 0 of the ear off the flange 3 on: the lower portion E,. and detach the lower part from the wire.- The said lower part can then be replaced by a new part of like construction, which can be easily :5 slidinto place in the groove'of'the upper part and properly secured to the trolley-wire.

Ido not desire to limit my invention to suspension devices of the form shown andhereinabove describedor to the preciseconstruc-- comprising essentially a grooved strip for attachment to the wire and a body portion along.

4 which said strip extends, the saidparts con- 2. A suspension device for trolley-wires,

nected by a longitudinal slip-joint, substan- 3 5 tially as described.

I 3. A suspension device for trolley-wires comprising a part'adapted to receive and hold the trolley-wire, another part adapted to be secured toa supporting device, a groove inwardly expanded in cross-section in one of said portions,and a corresponding web or projection on the other of said portions, whereby the said portionsmay be detachably secured together, substantially as described.

4. A suspension device for trolley-wires comprising apart E for attachment to thetrolley-wire, a part 0 for attachment .to the supporting means, an inwardly expanded groove in one of said'parts and-a correspond- 5o ing projection on theother ofsaid parts, and means 'for preventing displacement and detachment of the said parts in the'liue of the joint when they are secured together, substantially as described,

v 5. A supporting device for trolley-wires comprising a suspending device and a portion for connection with the wire',separably combined by an interlocking longitudinal joint, and a locking device to prevent move ment of the partsin the-line of the said joint, substantially as described.

Intestimony whereof I aflix'my signature in preseuce of two witnesses. 4

. JAMES W. SCULLY.

v Witnesses:

CHAS. F. RANDALL, WILLIAM A.'COPELAND. 

